Umbrella steamer



Jan. 30, 1951 J. LEVIN 2,539,445

UMBRELLA STEAMER Filed Sept. 10, 1946 JOSEPH ZEv N- Patented Jan. 30, 1 951 2,539,445 UMBRELLA STEAMER Joseph Levin, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Eichenbaum Umbrella (30., Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application September 10, 1946, Serial No. 696,065

This invention relates to umbrellas and more particularly to a device for shrinking all of their fabric panels during manufacture.

The conventional manner of fitting the fabric panels of umbrellas into place on the ribs or framework during manufacture consists in consecutively steaming each individual panel until it has shrunk to the proper degree of tightness on the framework. This method is slow and relatively expensive and is apt to produce an unbalanced umbrella and one that does not open or close with the desired precision and freedom from trouble. This proves unsatisfactory from the customers point of view and results in many complaints which in turn injure the manufacturers business and prestige.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a new and improved outfit for the manufacture of umbrellas that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved outfit for the manufacture of umbrellas that will enable all the panels of the cover to be shrunk on neatly and effectively in one operation in an expeditious and facile manner. a

A further object of the herein described invention is to provide a new and improved outfit for the finishing of the cover on an umbrella that will enable it to be shrunk or fitted on as a complete unit and the shrinking and fitting actions will be evenly distributed during the process and the resulting stresses will not wrinkle or distort the material of the umbrella or its framework. Other objects will become evident as the invention is more fully detailed.

For a clearer understanding of the present invention and its objects reference is made to the appended drawings and the description following. These together outline a particular form of the invention by way of example, while the claims emphasize the principles and scope thereof.

Referring to the various drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an umbrella panel steaming outfit, embodying this invention, showing an umbrella with parts broken away to show its positioning thereon, and

Figure 2 is a sectional view 2--2 of Figure 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the structure shown in the drawings, a casing jacket III of arcuate walled ring form taken along line 3 Claims. (01. 68-6) ribs and cover.

tapering towards its axis, is formed hollow with,

its interior H arranged for permeation of steam under low pressure, that can pass therefrom through apertures l2 of small diameter and frequent distribution across the face E3 of jacket ID. The jacket is made of such size and form as to fit the lower portion of the panels of the type and size of the umbrella that it is to process. Its face ['3 is smooth enough to enable the ribs to be rotated freely on it while placing the jacket ill in position and avoid obstructing 0r jarring them or the cover of the umbrella. The jacket is made to register with the lower portion of the The jacket is suspended on a spider frame consisting of a hollow cylindrical hub chamber member l4 having a central passage l5 through it for the stem or stick 2! of an umbrella It to be inserted while the latter is being processed. Spoke-like pipe legs I! radiate from the hub and terminate in the upper portion of the inside wall I8 of the jacket l0. These legs and chambers are hollow to permit steam to be' carried through them from a hollow base 22 to which a steam connection I9 is attached. A similar series of spoke-like legs 20 are attached to the bottom portion of the jacket to form drains for any steam that may be condensed inside the jacket. serve to render the outfit stronger and at the same time remove the water derived as the steam condenses. This produces a continuous flow of the steam throughout that keeps the jacket uniformly heated throughout its use and the material of the panels properly steamed. The outlet pipe 23 takes off the condensate and excess steam. The interior II has a preheater coil 24 installed inside it for steam to heat it. The heated coil 24 heats the casing in which in turn heats the metal parts and panel of the umbrella Hi. When the sponging steam passing through the pipe legs I! and 20, reaches the casing 10 and goes through the apertures in its face, it is at a high enough temperature to prevent condensate or water from mixing it with it. Such water would interfere with the process of shrinking the fabric in the proper manner, and tend to soak the umbrella fabric.

In the use of the outfit the preheater steam is turned on and heats casing I 0. Circulating preheaters or coils 24 are fed by pipe 25 and exhausted through pipe 45. The umbrella stick 2! of umbrella i6 is inserted into the passage l5 until the ribs rest on the top of the chamber member M. This aligns the lower portions of the panels 23 of the umbrella with the face I3 These drain pipes or legs 20 of the steam jacket l0. These panels are before steaming somewhat loose and wrinkled. The steam passed through them from the apertures I2 removes some of the sizing that is in the fabric by its heat and force and renders the material pliable with a tendency to shrink. The upper half of the fabric panels usually fits sufficiently tight on the umbrella frame and does not require further shrinking to improve it. For that reason the jacket I is only made long enough to reach about half way up the panels. The lower portion of the fabric panels however are ordinarily full of wrinkles or loose, when the umbrella cover is put on the frame and ribs, before the steam is passed through them. This removes the wrinkles and the panels tighten up on the ribs 21 where the material is sewed on in the conventional manner. The steam and condensate not used is circulated through the heating system by flowing out of the legs 29 into the enlarged portion 43 where it enters an annular space 28 about the chamber member i4 and through the outlet 23. This base serves as an inlet and outlet doubled chambered member to permit this and at the same time separate the incoming and outgoing steam and condensate, and also as a means to keep the outfit self supporting and more or less portable. This structure is convenient to use as no support is needed for "the umbrellas to be processed when used with it. It operates on all the panels at the same time and With the same degree of steam and it is kept hot all over. The value of keeping the material of the panels processed at the same temperature and time assures of the same action throughout and the avoidance of undue stresses and strains thereon. lhe spoke arrangement assists in this action as it induces an even delivery of steam to all parts of the circular jacket. The stretching or shrinking of the material and the bending of the framework or ribs of the umbrella are not interfered with by the outfit during the process, but a certain amount of freedom is given to the umbrella while at the same time it is supported properly in the device. Access is assured to the inside of the umbrella and the parts of the outfit while in use and any slight adjustment required by practical requirements may be readily made.

The preheater 24 is supplied through its pipes 25 from a valve 30 attached to steam feed line 3|, a valve 32 controls the steam entering the casing l0, valve 33 controls the discharge from the casing 19 and valve 34 controls the discharge from the preheater 24, through piping 45.,

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this ap- 4. plication for patent to this particular form, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

'1, A steamer device for umbrellas comprising a casing having a base, cylindrical walls extending upwardly therefrom and defining an internal chamber, cylindrical walls within said chamber spaced from said first mentioned walls and from said base and protruding beyond the upwards confines of said first-named Walls and defining an internal chamber, a ring-shaped jacket forming a chamber having arcuate inner walls and foraminated outer walls, series of parallel, spaced hollow spokes securing said jacket to the first mentioned cylindrical walls and to the second mentioned cylindrical Walls, one series of said spokes establishing communication between said jacket and said first mentioned chamber and the other series of said spokes establishing communication between said jacket and said second mentioned chamber, means for supplying steam to said jacket including the second-mentioned chamber and one series of hollow spokes, and means for draining condensed steam from said jacket including the other series of hollow spokes and the first mentioned chamber.

2. A steamer device as set forth in claim 1 including a preheating coil in said jacket, pipe means for supplying steam thereto extending through the second-mentioned chamber and a draining pipe for said preheating coil extending through the first-mentioned chamber.

3. A steamer device as set forth in claim 1, the umbrella r'esting upon a surface of said jacket,

said second mentioned chamber having a separate internal chamber therein free of the steam in said second chamber to receive the handle of the umbrella.

JOSEPH LEVDN'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 615,974 Fay Dec. 13, 1898 792,737 Smith June 20, 1905 1,489,681 Wells Apr. 8, 1924 1,592,259 Deslandes July 13, 1926 2,213,288 Pungor Sept. 3, 1940 2,251,127 Gessner July 29, 1941 2,284,313 Weber May 26, 1942 

